CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – Mount Mercy University connected on 5 free throws over the final 61 seconds of the game, outscoring Benedictine Men's Basketball 5-2 over the final 42 seconds to escape with a 79-75 win,

Saturday's first road game of 2024 saw the Ravens and the Mustangs play through 11 lead changes and 5 ties over the last 7 minutes of the game.

Benedictine took an early lead off a pair of free throws from Gino Corridori and a layup from Preston Reynolds. Mount Mercy used an offensive run, sparked by a pair of 3-pointers to erase their early deficit and pull ahead of the Ravens.

Mount Mercy pulled ahead by as much as 11 points before Benedictine closed out the half outscoring the Mustangs 14-6 to pull within three points, 39-36. Benedictine limited Mount Mercy to just two field goals over the final 6 minutes of the half as they scored 10 points in the paint.

The two teams were able to match each other over the first 10 minutes of the second half with the Mustangs able to keep the Ravens at arm's length. A 3-pointer from Brycen LaRue pulled Benedictine within two points just 6 minutes into the half and then Larry Parker III gave the Ravens back the lead with his fourth basket of the second half to put Benedictine up 61-60. Parker sparked the Ravens offense off the bench in the second half as he scored all of his 14 points over in the half. 

Benedictine never led by more than a point in the final minutes, but neither did Mount Mercy until hitting three straight free throws to finish the game and secure the win.

LaRue led the Ravens with 16 points, followed by Parker and Corridori with 14 while Braden Belt added 12 points. Benedictine finished with a 44-32 advantage in points in the paint.

The Ravens remain on the road, traveling to Olathe on Wednesday to take on MNU at 7:30 p.m. They return home on Jan. 13, hosting Heart front-runner (RV) Graceland University at 4 p.m. back inside Ralph Nolan Gymnasium. 

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